Latest Reviews 5-11 November 2012 
Dreams and NightmaresMeek Mill
Philadelphia rapper opts for brutal honesty on debut LP.reviewed by Marcus J. Moore
SmalhansLindstrøm
The return of the space disco cowboy.reviewed by Wyndham Wallace
Dark BlackKristina Train
An extraordinary record from a singer previously overlooked.reviewed by John Aizlewood
Take the Crown Robbie Williams
This ninth album finds Robbie sounding rather too serious, rather too often.reviewed by Tom Hocknell
Songs for the DeafQueens of the Stone Age
Tricky and claustrophobic, but with plenty of swoons and thrills.reviewed by Nick Reynolds
Stitches in the FlagCrowns
Full of rousing, riotous, rebellious, roughshod anthems…reviewed by Mischa Pearlman
Generation Terrorists: 20th Anniversary EditionManic Street Preachers
All these years later, the Manics’ debut remains a remarkable work.reviewed by John Aizlewood
AstraeaRolo Tomassi
Three albums in, the Sheffield five-piece remain a remarkably singular band.reviewed by Noel Gardner
The NorthStars
An album rich in storytelling and atmosphere, warm beneath its chilly edges.reviewed by Jude Clarke
Stubborn HeartStubborn Heart
London duo forges strikingly contemporary pop from an alternative future.reviewed by Tom Hocknell
La Ferme de FontenailleTrevor Moss & Hannah-Lou
Artful simplicity from the couple in the cottage next door.reviewed by Ninian Dunnett
Just to Feel AnythingEmeralds
Another essential Emeralds acquisition that takes the trio on new tangents.reviewed by Mike Diver
Whatever Gets You Through the Night Various Artists
A collection of Scottish artists’ songs for the wee small hours.reviewed by Johnny Sharp
Dream OnItal
A confusingly cluttered follow-up to a celebrated breakthrough.reviewed by Darren Loucaides
The ViolenceDarren Hayman & The Long Parliament
A concept album about the 17th century witch trials of Essex? Yes please.reviewed by Ben Myers
The CarpenterThe Avett Brothers
North Carolina outfit’s seventh LP seduces the listener from its first track.reviewed by Colin Irwin
ApocryphonThe Sword
Winning choruses chiselled in stone, crafted with love and authority.reviewed by Alex Deller
Persistent MalaiseCold Pumas
The Brighton band makes these warm, intense and persistent jams their own.reviewed by Jude Clarke
Mercurial Balm Food
These tracks merge to form a compelling, continuous whole.reviewed by Kevin Le Gendre
Reggae Golden Jubilee: Origins of Jamaican Music – 50th Anniversary Various Artists
A connoisseur-satisfying collection, yet completely accessible for novices.reviewed by Lloyd Bradley
R.E.D.Ne-Yo
Grammy-winning gentleman proves to be Mr Not-Quite-Perfect after all.reviewed by Fraser McAlpine
Magico: Carta de AmorJan Garbarek, Egberto Gismonti and Charlie Haden
Hearing this music fresh, the three musicians’ commitment is palpable.reviewed by Alyn Shipton
KidsukeKidkanevil & Daisuke Tanabe
Like a lost late-90s IDM gem that also fist-bumps today’s experimental hip hoppers.reviewed by Noel Gardner
Melody’s Echo ChamberMelody’s Echo Chamber
A shimmering, lovely thing, this debut is also full of adventurous spirit.reviewed by James Skinner
We Don’t Even Live Here P.O.S
Rapper’s fourth LP exhibits a general disregard for genre boundaries.reviewed by Louis Pattison
